TWI601063B - Computer system and data processing method using random number generator - Google Patents

Description

Computer system and data processing method using random number generator

The present invention relates to a computer system and data processing method using a random number generator.

Security operations in many user applications, such as cryptographic programs or identities, require the use of random numbers. The conventional method of generating random numbers can use the random number generator (PRNG) in the operating system. The famous example is the Linux ^® system random number generator (LRNG). For more details, please refer to the paper: Zvi Gutterman, Benny Pinkas And Tzachy Reinman. 2006. Analysis of the Linux Random Number Generator. In Proceedings of the 2006 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (SP '06).

For more information on the use of the operating system to generate random numbers for the application, reference is made to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US Pub. 2010/00023,749, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

One aspect of the present invention is to propose a new computer system and data processing method using a random number generator. In particular, the present invention focuses on the lack of sufficient (entrophy) of the software-based random number generator in the operating system, especially for many embedded systems, due to the lack of unpredictable operation. This problem is more pronounced as external factors (such as user access to data) as an entrophy source.

In addition, many common operating systems, such as Linux ^® system, its operation code or architecture department open to the public, so if using operating system-based random number generator software, because of its random number generation mechanism may be aware, the hackers There is a high chance of successfully estimating the random number that the chaotic number generator of the operating system can produce, thus creating a security loophole.

In this regard, another aspect of the present invention is to receive random numbers from another random number generator in addition to the operating system random number generator to provide security operations in the user application.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer system includes: an operating system, a processor that executes a user application under the operating system, and the processor is coupled to a first random number generator; The processor receives the random number from the first random number generator and provides the random number generated by the first random number generator for the use according to the random number requirement of the security operation in the user application. Application for security operations ● wherein the first random number generator is not a random number generator of the operating system.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a data processing method is used in a computer system, the computer system comprising an operating system and a processor, the processor being coupled to a first random number generator, the method comprising: Receiving a random number from the first random number generator, wherein the first random number generator is not a random number generator of the operating system; The processor provides the received random number to a user application for security work.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a data processing method is used in a computer system, the computer system including an operating system and a processor coupled to a first random number generator and a second random number generator The method includes: - the processor selectively receiving a random number from the first random number generator or from the second random number generator, wherein at least the first random number generator is not a random number generation of the operating system The processor selects to receive random numbers from the first random number generator or from the second random number generator according to the value of the parameter.

The features, advantages, and similar expressions of the present invention are not to be construed as being limited by the scope of the invention. Rather, the specific features, advantages, or characteristics described in connection with the specific embodiments are included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the description of features and advantages, and similar expressions in this specification are related to the same specific embodiments, but are not essential.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of the appended claims appended claims.

The reference to "an embodiment" or a similar expression in this specification means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the specific embodiment are included in the present specification. In at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the appearances of the phrase "in a particular embodiment"

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented as a computer system, method, or computer readable medium as a computer program product. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms, such as a complete hardware embodiment, a complete software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or can also be implemented as a software and hardware implementation. In the following, it will be referred to as "circuit", "module" or "system". In addition, the present invention can also be implemented as a computer program product in any tangible media form, with computer usable code stored thereon.

A combination of one or more computer usable or readable media can be utilized. For example, a computer usable or readable medium can be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or communication medium. More specific computer readable media embodiments may include the following (non-limiting illustrations): electrical connections consisting of one or more connecting lines, portable computer magnetic disk, hard disk drive, random access Memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable stylized read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable optical disc (CD-ROM), optical storage device, transmission Media (such as the Internet or the internal connection of the intranet), or magnetic storage devices. It should be noted that the computer usable or readable medium may be paper or any suitable medium that can be used to print the program thereon so that the program can be re-electronicized again, for example by optically scanning the paper or other The media is then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed as necessary and then stored in computer memory. In this In this context, a computer usable or readable medium can be any medium for holding, storing, transmitting, transmitting, or transmitting a code for processing by an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer usable medium may include a broadcast data signal in which a computer usable code is stored, whether in a baseband or a partial carrier type. The computer can use the code to transmit any aptamable media, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, fiber optic cable, radio frequency (RF), and the like.

Computer code for performing the operations of the present invention can be written using a combination of one or more programming languages, including object oriented programming languages (eg, Java, SMRlltalk, C++, or the like) as well as traditional programming languages (eg, C programming languages or Other similar programming languages).

The following description of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart and/or block diagram of the systems, devices, methods and computer program products according to the embodiments of the invention. Each block of the flowchart and/or block diagram, as well as any combination of blocks in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams, can be implemented using computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be executed by a general purpose computer or a special computer processor or other programmable data processing device, and the instructions are processed by a computer or other programmable data processing device to implement a flowchart and/or The function or operation described in the block diagram.

The computer program instructions can also be stored on a computer readable medium to instruct a computer or other programmable data processing device to perform a particular function, and the instructions stored on the computer readable medium constitute a finished product. The instructions contained therein may implement the functions or operations illustrated in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams.

Computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device for performing a system operation on a computer or other programmable device, and executing the command on the computer or other programmable device A computer implementation program is generated to achieve the functions or operations illustrated in the flowcharts and/or block diagrams.

2 to 2, a flowchart and a block diagram of a architecture, function, and operation of a system, method, and computer program product according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown. Thus, each block of the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a segment, or a portion of a code that includes one or more executable instructions to implement the specified logical function. It is to be noted that in some other embodiments, the functions described in the blocks may not be performed in the order shown. For example, the blocks in which the two figures are connected may in fact also be executed, or in accordance with the functions involved, in some cases, in the reverse order of the drawings. It should also be noted that each block diagram and/or block of the flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowcharts may be implemented by a system based on a special purpose hardware, or by a special purpose. A combination of body and computer instructions to perform a specific function or operation.

<system architecture>

1 shows the hardware architecture of computer system 100 in an embodiment. Computer system 100. Other basic architectures and components of computer system 100 can be found in a general personal computer or server, such as IBM System X, Blade Center. Or eServer server. It should be noted that the computer system 100 can also be implemented as an embedded system, such as a network device or a wireless access device (Access Point), and lacks a hard disk, a mouse, or a keyboard of a general personal computer. (not shown).

The computer system 100 first has a central processing unit 102 or other equivalent processing circuitry for operating the operating system OS. For an example of the operating system OS, refer to the Linux operating system. For each type of computer system 100, from the embedded system to the large server, the Linux operating system has a corresponding version, which should be known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described here. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the Linux operating system.

In addition, the central processing unit 102 executes the user application AP under the operating system OS, and the user application AP can be built in the operating system OS or the user application separately installed in the operating system OS. . The present invention is not intended to limit the functionality provided by the user application AP, but the user application AP should have a random number of requirements for security operations, such as cryptographic procedures or identification required for communication (identification). ).

Specifically, the central processing unit 102 connects the random number generator RNG1. The random number generator RNG1 is not a random number generator (for example, LRNG) of the operating system OS; preferably, the random number generator RNG1 is a hardware random number generator. In an example, the hardware random number generator RNG1 may be a hardware random number generator attached to the central processing unit 102, that is, the hardware random number generator RNG1 and the central processing unit 102 are implemented on the same chip. on. In another example, the hardware random number generator RNG1 and the central processing unit 102 are implemented in different chips in the computer system 100. For example, the hardware random number generator RNG1 can be implemented on a hardware cryptographic accelerator (for example, an SSL Accelerator computer card), and does not have to be located on the same motherboard (not shown) as the central processing unit 102, or even hard. The hash generator RNG1 may also be disposed outside the computer system 100 and connected to the central processing unit 102 via a network or other connection. For more details on the hardware random number generator, refer to the relevant instructions in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_random_number_generator).

It should be noted that the random number generator RNG1 does not have to be implemented as a hardware random number generator. In another example, the random number generator RNG1 can be implemented through a computer system other than the computer system 100 (not shown). As shown, as long as the additional computer system can provide random numbers to the central processing unit 102 in the computer system 100, the present invention is not limited to the use of a hardware random number generator or any other means to generate chaos. number. In yet another example, the generated or sorted hash data can be provided to other virtual machine applications (not shown) installed in computer system 100 for subsequent processing or use.

On the other hand, preferably, the central processing unit 102 is further coupled to another random number generator RNG2. The foregoing method for implementing the random number generator RNG1 may also be implemented to implement the random number generator RNG2. However, unlike the random number generator RNG1, the random number generator RNG2 may be a software-based random number generator of the operating system OS. (eg LRNG). In addition, in addition to the random number generator RNG1 and the random number generator RNG2, the central processing unit 102 can connect more random number generators (not shown), and more random number generators will help User application APs have better security and more details will be described later.

The memory control method of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the hardware architecture shown in FIG. 1 and the flowchart of FIG. 2.

Step 200: This step can be regarded as an initial setting, and the central processing unit 102 determines the number of random number generators connected thereto. In this embodiment, the central processing unit 102 is coupled to the random number generator RNG1 and the random number generator RNG2, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Step 202: The central processor 102 provides parameters that change continuously over time for use as a subsequent selection of the random number generator RNG1 and the random number generator RNG2. In one embodiment, this parameter is the Jiffies of the central processing unit 102. Each time a timer interrupt occurs, the Jiffies variable is incremented by one. For more information about Jiffies, refer to Klaus Wehrle, Frank Pählke, Hartmut Ritter. , Daniel Müller, Marc Bechler, The Linux ^® Networking Architecture: Design and Implementation of Network Protocols in the Linux Kernel, Chapter 2.7.: Description of Timing in the Linux Kernel. The advantage of using Jiffies in this embodiment is that it has better security except that its value changes continuously with time, and its change is not easy to predict, but the invention is not intended to be limited to Jiffies.

Step 204: When a random number is required to be provided to the user application AP, the central processor 102 obtains the value of the current Jiffies.

Step 206: According to the parameter value obtained in step 204, it is determined that the random number is to be received from the random number generator RNG1 or the random number generator RNG2.

For example, it can be designed to select the random number generator RNG1 when the value of Jiffies is singular, and the random number generator RNG2 when the value of Jiffies is double, or vice versa.

In addition, if the performance of the random number generator RNG1 and the random number generator RNG2 is different, the random number generator RNG1 and the random number generator RNG2 may be given different weights according to the value of the Jiffies, for example, when When the value of Jiffies is a multiple of 3, the random number generator RNG1 is selected, and if the random number generator RNG2 is selected, the probability of selecting the random number generator RNG2 is twice that of the random number generator RNG1. Thus, the value of Jiffies can be used to further adjust the weight of each random number generator. It should be noted that the present invention is not intended to limit the method of selecting the random number generator RNG1, the random number generator RNG2, or other more random number generators (not shown) from the value of Jiffies. Again, if step 200 central processor 102 is only coupled to random number generator RNG1, step 206 may be skipped.

Step 208: After receiving the random number from the random number generator RNG1 or the random number generator RNG2, the central processing unit 102 can provide the received random number to the user application AP, and then can return to the step. 204.

It should be noted that the random number generated by the random number generator RNG1 is different from the bits obtained by other hardware (keyboard or hard disk) when the random number generator of the operating system OS operates. So if the central processor 102 is from random The generator RNG1 receives the random number to the random number generator (which can be implemented as the random number generator RNG2) to the random number generator before providing the random number to the user application AP. The random number generated by RNG1 performs additional random number software processing. Similarly, the processor should not need to perform software whitening on the received random numbers, or further hash or encrypt.

For software processing and soft bleaching of random numbers, reference is made to: Viega, J. Practical Random Number Generation in Software Proceedings of the 19th h Annual Computer Security Applications Conference. December 2003.

However, in another embodiment, if the random number provided by the random number generator RNG1 is not sufficient to meet a specific security standard, such as the FIPS-140 standard, the central processor 102 can provide the random number provided by the random number generator RNG1. After processing, in order to meet the standard, it is provided to the user application AP.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The aspects of the specific embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather All changes that fall within the meaning and scope of the patent application are deemed to fall within the scope of the patent application.

100‧‧‧ computer system

OS‧‧‧ operating system

AP‧‧ User Application

102‧‧‧Central processor

RNG1‧‧‧ random number generator

RNG2‧‧‧ random number generator

Step (200) ‧ ‧ Determine the number of random number generators

Step (202) ‧ ‧ provides parameters that change continuously over time

Step (204) ‧‧‧Get the value of the current parameter

Step (206) ‧‧‧Determining a random number generator based on the parameter value

Step (208) ‧ ‧ Receive random numbers from the determined random number generator and provide them to the user application

In order to immediately understand the advantages of the present invention, the present invention briefly described above will be described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Understand these The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which A computer system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Step (200) ‧ ‧ Determine the number of random number generators

Step (202) ‧ ‧ provides parameters that change continuously over time

Step (204) ‧‧‧Get the value of the current parameter

Step (206) ‧‧‧Determining a random number generator based on the parameter value

Step (208) ‧ ‧ Receive random numbers from the determined random number generator and provide them to the user application

Claims (7)

A computer system comprising: an operating system; a processor executing a user application under the operating system, and the processor is coupled to a first random number generator; wherein the user application is The security requirement of the security operations, the processor receives the random number from the first random number generator, and provides the random number generated by the first random number generator to the user application. Performing a security operation; wherein the first random number generator is not a random number generator of the operating system; wherein the processor is further coupled to a second random number generator to receive random numbers from the second random number generator And executing the application according to the random number of the first random number generator and the random number of the second random number generator; wherein the first random number generator and the second random number generator are both hard Number generator. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor does not perform software whitening processing on the received random number until the random number is received to the user application. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further coupled to the second random number generator, and the processor has a parameter that continuously changes over time, the processor is based on the value of the parameter from the first The random number generator receives the random number instead of receiving the random number from the second random number generator. A computer system as claimed in claim 1 or 3, wherein the parameter is a Jiffies of the processor. The computer system of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the computer system is an embedded system. A data processing method for a computer system, the computer system comprising an operating system and a processor coupled to a first random number generator, the method comprising: (a) the processor from the first The random number generator receives the random number, wherein the first random number generator is not a random number generator of the operating system; and (b) the processor provides the random number received by the step (a) to a user application Performing a security job; and (c) the processor receiving a random number from the second random number generator, wherein the second random number generator is also not a random number generator of the operating system; and (d) the processor Providing the random number received in the step (c) to the user application for security operations; wherein the first random number generator and the second random number generator are both hardware random number generators. The method of claim 6, wherein the processor has one of parameters continuously changing over time, and step (a) further comprises: the processor selecting, according to the value of the parameter, the first random number generator or the second The random number generator receives random numbers.